[Federal Register: June 30, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 126)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 37515-37517]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30jn06-20]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2006-25085; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-02-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Model AS350B,
AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350BA, AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, and AS355E
Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive
(AD) for the specified Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) model
helicopters. This proposal would require replacing a certain hydraulic
drive belt (drive belt). Also proposed is reducing the lubrication time
interval for a certain hydraulic pump drive shaft (drive shaft). This
proposal is prompted by in-flight failures of the drive belt and the
drive shaft. The actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to
prevent in-flight failure of the drive belt or drive shaft, loss of
hydraulic power to the flight control system, and subsequent loss of
control of the helicopter.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 29, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on
this proposed AD:
DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow
the instructions for sending your comments electronically;
Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for sending your
comments electronically;
Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401,
Washington, DC 20590;
Fax: 202-493-2251; or
Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
You may get the service information identified in this proposed AD
from American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie,
Texas 75053-4005, telephone (972) 641-3460, fax (972) 641-3527.
You may examine the comments to this proposed AD in the AD docket
on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Roach, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and Guidance Group, Fort
Worth, Texas 76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5130, fax (817) 222-5961.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to submit any written data, views, or arguments
regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to the address listed
under the caption ADDRESSES. Include the docket number ``FAA-2006-
25085, Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-02-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will
consider all comments received by the closing date
[[Page 37516]]
and may amend the proposed AD in light of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov
, including any personal information you provide. We will
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA
personnel concerning this proposed rulemaking. Using the search
function of our docket Web site, you can find and read the comments to
any of our dockets, including the name of the individual who sent or
signed the comment. You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR
19477-78), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
Examining the Docket
You may examine the docket that contains the proposed AD, any
comments, and other information in person at the Docket Management
System (DMS) Docket Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone 1-800-
647-5227) is located at the plaza level of the Department of
Transportation Nassif Building in Room PL-401 at 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC. Comments will be available in the AD docket
shortly after the DMS receives them.
Discussion
On May 4, 2004, a Eurocopter Model AS350BA helicopter lost
hydraulic system power, resulting in a non-fatal accident. An
investigation of the accident showed that the drive belt, part number
(P/N) 704A33-690-004, failed in-flight, approximately 160 hours short
of its 600-hour time-in-service (TIS) life limit. Further
investigations showed that the drive belt had been installed inside out
and the exterior surface, as installed, had numerous lateral cracks.
Historical records from both the FAA's Service Difficulty Report
database and the National Transportation Safety Board's Accidents and
Incidents database showed that 43 failures or replacements of the
affected P/Ned drive belts occurred between February 1995 and January
2006. Twenty of the affected drive belts were replaced because they
were found prematurely stretched or worn past their service limits and
the remaining drive belts failed in-flight after averaging 277 hours
TIS. These in-flight failures resulted in loss of hydraulic system
pressure that required the pilots to make emergency landings; three of
those in-flight failures, including the failure on May 4, 2004,
resulted in accidents.
Prior to that May 2004 accident, the Transportation Safety Board of
Canada (TSB) investigated a fatal accident in which a Eurocopter Model
AS350B2 helicopter experienced hydraulic system failure and crashed.
Examination of the installed drive belt showed that it had failed at
the manufacturing seam, similar to the drive belt involved in the May
2004 accident. The TSB's further examinations showed that similar in-
service, intact drive belts had extensive cracking in the same
location, but that the one improved ``Poly-V'' drive belt examined had
no cracks. On April 22, 2004, Transport Canada issued a Canadian AD
mandating the installation of the ``Poly-V'' drive belt.
On January 9, 2006, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
recommended that we:
Require operators of Eurocopter AS-350 series helicopters
to comply with the provisions of Eurocopter Service Bulletin AS350, No.
63.00.08, Revision 1, dated May 7, 2004, or subsequent revision (NTSB
Safety Recommendation No. A-05-36).
Identify an appropriate life limit or inspection interval
for the existing Eurocopter AS-350 hydraulic pump flat drive belt and
require Eurocopter AS-350 operators to comply with this limit/interval
until they accomplish Eurocopter Service Bulletin AS350, No. 63.00.08,
Revision 1, dated May 7, 2004 or subsequent revisions (NTSB Safety
Recommendation No. A-05-37).
Eurocopter has issued the following:
Service Bulletin No. 63.00.08, dated May 27, 2002, which
specifies installing a poly-v type drive belt on the driving hydraulic
pump; and
Service Bulletin No. 29.00.04, Revision 1, dated January
27, 2004, which specifies reducing the lubrication interval and
installing an O-ring seal in the groove of the hydraulic pump drive
shaft in order to prevent early wear of the splines.
This previously described unsafe condition is likely to exist or
develop on other helicopters of the same type designs registered in the
United States. Therefore, the proposed AD would require the following:
At or before the next 500-hour TIS inspection, replacing
the drive belt with an airworthy drive belt that is not included in the
applicability of this AD, and
Within 110 hours TIS or at the next scheduled lubrication
interval for the drive shaft splines, and thereafter at intervals not
to exceed 110 hours TIS or 6 months, whichever occurs first,
lubricating the drive shaft splines.
We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 700 helicopters of
U.S. registry. Replacing each drive belt would take approximately 25
work hours and lubricating the drive shaft splines would take
approximately 1 work hour. The average labor rate is $80 an hour. Each
replacement drive belt would cost about $3,500. Based on these figures,
we estimate the total cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators
to be $4,130,000, assuming no helicopter has been modified with the new
drive shaft belt and the splines are lubricated 5 times in the first
year.
Regulatory Findings
We have determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. Additionally, this proposed
AD would not have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the
relationship between the national Government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of
government.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that the proposed
regulation:
1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order
12866;
2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
3. Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
We prepared a draft economic evaluation of the estimated costs to
comply with this proposed AD. See the DMS to examine the draft economic
evaluation.
Authority for This Rulemaking
Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, Section 106, describes the
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs,
describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.
We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701, ``General
requirements.'' Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing
regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator
finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within
the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition
that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this
rulemaking action.
[[Page 37517]]
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend
part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as
follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive
to read as follows:
Eurocopter France: Docket No. FAA-2006-25085; Directorate Identifier
2006-SW-02-AD.
Applicability: Model AS350B, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350BA,
AS350C, AS350D, and AS350D1 helicopters with a hydraulic drive belt
(drive belt), part number (P/N) 704A33-690-004, or a hydraulic pump
drive shaft (drive shaft), P/N 704A34-310-006, installed,
certificated in any category.
Compliance: Required as indicated.
To prevent loss of hydraulic power to the flight control system
and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter, accomplish the
following:
(a) At or before the next 500-hour time-in-service (TIS)
inspection, unless accomplished previously, replace the drive belt
with an airworthy drive belt that is not included in the
applicability of this AD.
(b) Within 110 hours TIS or at the next scheduled lubrication
interval for the drive shaft splines, and thereafter at intervals
not to exceed 110 hours TIS or 6 months, whichever occurs first,
lubricate the drive shaft splines.
(c) This action reduces the interval for lubricating the drive
shaft splines from 550 hours TIS or 2 years, whichever occurs first,
to 110 hours TIS or 6 months, whichever occurs first.
Note: Eurocopter Service Bulletin No. 63.00.08, dated May 27,
2002, and No. 29.00.04, Revision 1, dated January 27, 2004, pertain
to the subject of this AD.
(d) To request a different method of compliance or a different
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19.
Contact the Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and
Guidance Group, FAA, ATTN: Gary Roach, Aviation Safety Engineer,
Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5130, fax (817)
222-5961, for information about previously approved alternative
methods of compliance.
Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 22, 2006.
David A. Downey,
Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 06-5880 Filed 6-29-06; 8:45 am]
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